All right, I played a bit of a trick there. It’s a trick because Chengdu was just as bad in 2015. It’s just that Beijing’s PM2.5 came down, while Chengdu stayed the same.

The data shows that Chengdu’s air pollution has been dangerous for at least four years (probably a lot longer), but awareness has just started catching up recently—particularly in 2016.

How Does Chengdu Compare to Other Major Cities?

I analyzed PM2.5 data from all of the US Embassies and Consulates across China. That data shows Chengdu and Beijing are at the top of the pollution rankings. PM2.5 has been coming down, but no major Chinese city has safe air.

So if you’re in Chengdu, Beijing, or elsewhere, protect your lungs!

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Thomas is an Associate Professor of Behavior Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the founder of Smart Air, a social enterprise to help people in China breathe clean air without shelling out thousands of dollars for expensive purifiers.

About Smart Air

Smart Air is a social enterprise based in China, India, Mongolia and the Philippines that creates simple, no-nonsense air purifiers and provides free education to combat the impacts of air pollution.
More about who the heck we are.